The Royal Saskatchewan Museum stewards a vast and diverse scientific and heritage collection, including more than 15,100 birds, 9,500 plants, 91,600 mammals, 550,000 insects, 59,000 fossils, 3.6 million archaeological artifacts, and thousands of cultural belongings and ethnology objects. These collections form an essential part of Saskatchewan’s natural and cultural heritage and support scientific discovery, community knowledge, and public learning.
Caring for this breadth of material is the responsibility of the museum’s Conservator, who works to ensure that each object—whether a fossil, taxidermy mount, plant specimen, archaeological artifact, or cultural belonging—remains stable, accessible, and meaningful for generations to come.
Museum Conservation: The Act of Caring
At the RSM, conservation is about more than preserving objects—it’s about caring for the stories, knowledge, and communities connected to them. Our collections hold cultural, historical, and scientific value, and each item helps us learn more about Saskatchewan’s past and present.
A key part of this work involves supporting the respectful care of Indigenous belongings. The Conservator works closely with the Curator of Indigenous Cultural Heritage and with Indigenous community members to ensure that care practices follow community guidance and honour Indigenous access, control, and voices.
By combining community knowledge with scientific research, the RSM aims to care for collections in ways that are meaningful, collaborative, and rooted in shared stewardship.
Preventative and Remedial Care
At the RSM, conservation involves two interconnected forms of care: preventative care, which focuses on creating the right conditions to slow deterioration, and remedial care, which involves direct, hands‑on treatments when objects need extra support. Together, these approaches help protect the museum’s collections now and for the future.
Preventative Care
This includes monitoring and adjusting temperature, humidity, light levels, airborne pollutants, and pest activity.
Many collection items are extremely sensitive to change: too much moisture can lead to mold growth, while overly dry conditions can cause organic materials to crack. Bright light can fade textiles, pigments, and natural history specimens, and insects can damage items such as moccasins, blankets, and biological specimens.
Preventive care is a team effort. Conservators work with staff throughout the museum to keep conditions stable and help visitors understand how simple actions—like avoiding touch and minimizing light exposure—support long‑term preservation.
Remedial Care
These may include stabilizing fragile materials, cleaning surfaces, repairing small breaks, or rehousing objects in safer supports. All treatments follow the principle of preserving original materials and respecting the object’s cultural and scientific integrity.
Scientific Tools and Material Analysis
Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectroscopy helps identify what objects are made of without causing damage. Microscopic analysis lets us see tiny details and early signs of change, while multimodal imaging—including raking light, UV, and high‑magnification photography—reveals hidden features like markings, repairs, and areas of deterioration. Together, these methods help us make informed, minimally invasive conservation decisions.
Supporting Saskatchewan’s Heritage
Through ongoing research, community engagement, and conservation practice, the RSM works to ensure that Saskatchewan’s natural and cultural heritage remains accessible, relevant, and well‑cared‑for. The museum’s collections support scientific discovery, cultural revitalization, and public education, forming a living resource that grows through both research and relationships.
For inquiries about specific collections, digitization, or conservation collaborations, visitors are encouraged to contact the museum’s curatorial or conservation staff directly.
*Our collections are digitized but not all are available online. If you have any inquiries regarding our collections, please contact our curators directly.
Collections Loan Policy
Under Saskatchewan’s RSM Act and as part of Saskatchewan’s contribution to our understanding and appreciation of natural and human history, the RSM supports and promotes the responsible use of its collections by other organizations.
